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Nova Scotia Legislation

Nova Scotia H2S

Hydrogen Sulphide (also called ‘sour gas’, ‘sewer gas’)

This is not an official source of information. It has been assembled as a convenience to students for reference and further study. Some extracts from official sources such as Regulations are provided. These are not guaranteed to completely cover all the material available in the Regulations. URL’s of those official sources are provided to allow the full text to be consulted.

Other sources of Hydrogen Sulphide Safety information for Nova Scotia

Training Guidelines: Atlantic Canada Offshore Petroleum Industry
Standard Practice for the Training and Qualifications of Personnel:
http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=141676&DT=PDF

The following is copyright © 2009, Province of Nova Scotia
http://www.cnsopb.ns.ca/pdfs/FedAct.pdf
CANADA-NOVA SCOTIA OFFSHORE PETROLEUM RESOURCES ACCORD IMPLEMENTATION ACT

Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Installations Regulations
P.C. 1995-606 April 4, 1995

PART I
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

General
3. For the purpose of ensuring the safety of an installation, no operator shall use the installation unless the equipment on the installation is arranged in accordance with these Regulations to
    (a) provide for the safety of personnel;
    (b) minimize damage to the environment; and
    (c) enable easy access to the equipment.

Gas Detection Systems
32. (1) Every installation shall be equipped with a gas detection system that is capable of detecting, in every part of the installation in which hydrogen sulphide or any type of hydrocarbon gas may accumulate, the presence of those gases.
(2) The gas detection system required by subsection (1) shall, on detection of gas, activate automatically
    (a) an audible and visual signal on the fire and gas indicator panel in the control station of a manned installation; and
    (b) an audible alarm that has a tone different from any other alarm in any part of the installation.
(3) Every installation shall be equipped with
    (a) at least two portable gas detectors capable of
        (i) measuring the concentration of oxygen in any space, and
        (ii) detecting hydrogen sulphide and any type of hydrocarbon gas in any space; and
    (b) a means of testing the portable gas detectors described in paragraph (a).
(4) A gas detector shall be provided
    (a) at every ventilation inlet duct leading to a non-hazardous area on every installation; and
    (b) in every enclosed hazardous area on every installation.
(5) Every gas detector provided in accordance with subsection (3) shall be appropriate for the area and installed and operated in accordance with
    (a) Appendix C of American Petroleum Institute RP 14C, Recommended Practice for Analysis, Design, Installation and Testing of Basic Surface Safety Systems for Offshore Production Platforms; and
    (b) section 9.2 of American Petroleum Institute RP 14F, Recommended Practice for Design and Installation of Electrical Systems for Offshore Production Platforms.

Piping Systems
35. (1) The piping system and associated equipment of every installation shall be designed and installed in accordance with American Petroleum Institute RP 14E, Recommended Practice for Design and Installation of Offshore Production Platform Piping Systems.

(2) Every pressure vessel or fired vessel on a production installation shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following standards:
    (a) American Petroleum Institute Spec 12J, Specification for Oil and Gas Separators;
    (b) sections I, II, IV, V, VII, VIII and IX of American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code; and
    (c) Canadian Standards Association B51-M1991, Boiler, Pressure Vessel, and Pressure Piping Code.

(3) Every compressor in hydrocarbon service at a production installation shall be designed in accordance with the following standards:
    (a) Canadian Standards Association CAN/CSA-Z184-92, Gas Pipeline Systems;
    (b) American Petroleum Institute STD 617, Centrifugal Compressors for General Refinery Service;
    (c) American Petroleum Institute STD 618, Reciprocating Compressors for General Refinery Services; and
    (d) American Petroleum Institute STD 619, Rotary-Type Positive Displacement Compressors for General Refinery Services.

(4) All materials and procedures used in a production installation used to produce and process sour gas shall conform to National Association of Corrosion Engineers (U.S.) MR-01-75, Sulfide Stress Cracking Resistant Metallic Materials for Oil Field Equipment.

(5) Where an operator handles, treats or processes oil, gas or water that contains hydrogen sulphide, the operator shall do so in accordance with good industry practice to minimize the discharge of hydrogen sulphide into the environment and to ensure that the operation is carried out in a safe and efficient manner.

ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION IS EXPLAINED HERE AND INCLUDED BELOW:

Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act
SOR/2009-315 Canada Oil and Gas Drilling and Production Regulations came into force December 31, 2009; require companies to have a management system to ensure compliance with the regulations and act and are an amalgamation/modernization of the Drilling Regulations and the Production and Conservation Regulations, that exist in mirror form, under the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act (COGOA) and the Canada- Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act, and the Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act (Offshore Accord Acts). Part 12 of the new regulations makes consequential amendments to the Canada Oil and Gas Certificate of Fitness Regulations; the Canada Oil and Gas Installations Regulations; and repeals the Canada Oil and Gas Drilling Regulations.

Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act,
SOR/2009-317 Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations,
Contact: Natural Resources Canada, Michael Hnetka, Advisor, Regulations (613) 992-2916; email: mhnetka@nrcan.gc.ca website: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca

Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations

SOR/2009-317

Registration November 26, 2009
CANADA-NOVA SCOTIA OFFSHORE PETROLEUM RESOURCES ACCORD IMPLEMENTATION ACT

PART 2
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, APPLICATION FOR AUTHORIZATION AND WELL APPROVALS
Management System

5. (1) The applicant for an authorization shall develop an effective management system that integrates operations and technical systems with the management of financial and human resources to ensure compliance with the Act and these Regulations.
(2) The management system shall include
(a) the policies on which the system is based;
(b) the processes for setting goals for the improvement of safety, environmental protection and waste prevention;
(c) the processes for identifying hazards and for evaluating and managing the associated risks;
(d) the processes for ensuring that personnel are trained and competent to perform their duties;
(e) the processes for ensuring and maintaining the integrity of all facilities, structures, installations, support craft and equipment necessary to ensure safety, environmental protection and waste prevention;
(f) the processes for the internal reporting and analysis of hazards, minor injuries, incidents and near-misses and for taking corrective actions to prevent their recurrence;
(g) the documents describing all management system processes and the processes for making personnel aware of their roles and responsibilities with respect to them;
(h) the processes for ensuring that all documents associated with the system are current, valid and have been approved by the appropriate level of authority;
(i) the processes for conducting periodic reviews or audits of the system and for taking corrective actions if reviews or audits identify areas of non-conformance with the system and opportunities for improvement;
(j) the arrangements for coordinating the management and operations of the proposed work or activity among the owner of the installation, the contractors, the operator and others, as applicable; and
(k) the name and position of the person accountable for the establishment and maintenance of the system and of the person responsible for implementing it.
(3) The management system documentation shall be controlled and set out in a logical and systematic fashion to allow for ease of understanding and efficient implementation.
(4) The management system shall correspond to the size, nature and complexity of the operations and activities, hazards and risks associated with the operations.

PART 10
TRAINING AND COMPETENCY

72. The operator shall ensure that
(a) all personnel have, before assuming their duties, the necessary experience, training and qualifications and are able to conduct their duties safely, competently and in compliance with these Regulations; and
(b) records of the experience, training and qualifications of all personnel are kept and made available to the Board upon request

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